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What's the right ratio for doing this? I've never before watered down paints, but keep hearing it gives much better results, so please, indulge me.

Try experimenting to see what suits you best, often you'll hear people say make it to the consistency of milk, but, I find that a little ambiguous at best.

I tend not to water down my paints usually, but if i have to, I do a 1:1 of paint and water and a very tiny amount of dish washing liquid to break the surface tension of the water.

So... what is the actual use of watering paint down then?

When using GW paints, i tend to fill a brush with paint, wipe it gently on the palette, then hold the brush tip under water until it's taken as much as it can into the bristles, and mix this all together on the palette.

If I'm doing fine detail work, I'll add a bit more water. Frankly, Vallejo paints and some acrylic medium are a much better choice as you have much more control over the consistency

I use water to clean brushes. Most acrylic (like GW) paints are better thinned with rubbing alcohol. Tamiya sells acrylic paint thinner for just this purpose

What's Tamiya? Keep in mind I'm in Europe

Tamiya are a large Japanese Model kit manufacturer, They also produce all the 'paraphernalia' to go along with their kits. Paints brushes, glues etc.

Some GW paints are just nasty thick which make them hard to work with. I'll see how a paint covers and if it covers well, but is thick that earns it a teaspoon of water.

Some paints like the metallics, reds and yellows don't cover very well so have to be left alone. Some, like blues, browns, greens, can take a lot of water. It makes them much easier to work with. Water down bit by bit though, as too much can make the paint too thin so you'd then require a couple of coats.

I see, though multiple coats should give a smoother finish (if that is what you want) right?

You don't get Tamiya over there? You're missing out, one of the best hobby paint lines around. More intended for historical military modelling as many of their colors are exactly matched to historic armored vehicles and aircraft. They wrote the book on this stuff before GW knew what a plastic model was.

Yes, multiple coats gives much better finish....unless you don't water your paint down; then you can see textures in the paint. Which is not good :( this is why thinning paints for blending and highlighting is essential, you will need to use multiple layers.

I find airbrush medium (available at art supply stores) works better than water. It mixes well with all manufacturers paints and doesn't evaporate as fast as water or alcohol, meaning you don't have to thin as often.
The reason to thin your paints? So you don't lose all the little details. Multiple coats of thinned paint make for a smoother finish and that fancy engraved armor doesn' t wind up looking like Space Marine Ml II Power armor!

How about Vallejo Glaze medium to thin paint? I've heard good things about it.

Brotherjulian wrote: You don't get Tamiya over there? You're missing out, one of the best hobby paint lines around.

Think I'll have to try some out next time I'm restocking.